Rate My Professor Steven Seidel

Steven Seidel is a distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of New Mexico, currently serving as Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He obtained his Ph.D. in experimental particle physics from the University of Michigan in 1987. Throughout his career, Seidel has held significant roles in advancing particle physics research and education at UNM, including directing the university's QuarkNet center since 2016, which engages high school teachers in cosmic ray and collider physics activities. His work bridges cutting-edge research with outreach to inspire the next generation of physicists.

Seidel's research specializations lie in nuclear and particle physics, with a focus on high-energy collider experiments such as the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. His group develops novel sensors and pixel detectors for future colliders, including the High Luminosity LHC and the Future Circular Collider. Notable contributions include analyses leading to discoveries like the Bc(2S) meson and student theses on pixel detectors. Seidel has received prestigious awards, including Fulbright Senior Scholar grants to Sweden (2006-2007), Sri Lanka (2015-2016), and Malta (2022), where he taught and consulted on particle physics. In 2023, he was appointed Interim Chairperson of the U.S. High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP). He was elected to the Executive Committee of the APS Division of Particles and Fields in 2012 and recognized as a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer in 2018. His team shared in the ATLAS Breakthrough Prize in 2025. Key publications encompass "Silicon strip and pixel detectors for particle physics experiments" (Physics Reports, 2019), contributions to ATLAS physics results, "Jet Physics at CDF" (2005), and reviews on leptonic and semileptonic decays of charm and bottom hadrons (Reviews of Modern Physics, 1995). Through committee roles, public lectures, and QuarkNet, Seidel significantly impacts the field and education.